Author: Robert Andrews

Tips: Gardening

  • Store your seed packets in a photo album for easy review and retrieval.
  • Bake crushed egg shells at 350º for 20 minute to kill bacteria, then spread across your soil to slice the underbelly of snails.
  • For those that you like, put a canning jar lid full of beer.  They will drink themselves to death.
  • Use Acrylic or Oil paints to create informal arts plant ID rocks
  • Not the artsy type, use plastic forks and a Sharpie to create plant markers
  • Coffee grounds in your soil helps repel pests AND fertilizes your garden.
  • Soak your seeds for 24 hours to give them a germination jump start
  • Put colored bottles around your garden for a bit of whimsey
  • Use a shipping palate to create a vertical garden
  • A rain gutter makes a garden trough along the top of your fence.  Use spaghetti tubing for irrigation
  • A gauze strip will wick water into your house plants while you are on an extended vacation
  • Use a toilet paper roll as a seedling pot
  • Create a water bottle sprinkler using duct tape and your garden hose
  • Use cinnamon as a rooting compound to repel fungus.

Shogayaki – Japanese Ginger Pork

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 inch piece of grated ginger
  • 1 onion – sliced thin
  • Sesame seed oil
  • 1 lb pork loin
  • Marinate
    – 1 TBL soy sauce
    – 1 TBL sugar
    – 1 TBL sake
    – 1 TBL mirin
    – 1/2 tsp pepper and salt

STEP BY STEP

  1. About 1-2 hours before eating, put your pork loin into the freezer for 30 minutes
    This will make it easier to slice
  2. Slice your pork loin on the bias as thin as possible
  3. Put into zip lock bag with your marinate – refrigerate
    ABOUT 30 MINUTES BEFORE EATING
  4. Meanwhile – Srape the skin off your ginger using the edge of a spoon
  5. Grate ginger on microplane
  6. Put sesame oil into hot pan over medium low heat
  7. Saute your onions just to lighten and soften
  8. Toss your pork slices in with the onions for only about 2-3 minutes
  9. Serve with white rice or fried rice

Consider a hot cast iron skillet at the table, and allow people to cook their own meat.

 

Berry Pudding

Based on a recipe from America’s Test Kitchen
INGREDIENTS

  • 1 package Hawaiian Sweet Bread or Lady Fingers
  • 3/4 C sugar
  • 1/2 C apricot preserves or orange marmalade
  • Amounts listed ± of any four desired fruits to total 30-35 ounces
    • 10 oz Strawberries
    • 8 oz Blueberries
    • 4 oz Blackberries
    • 4 oz Lingonberries
    • 4 oz Raspberries
    • etc

STEP BY STEP

summer-pudding

  1. Cut tops and bottoms off Sweet Bread – Resulting bread slices should be about 1/4 inch in thickness.
  2. Toast sweet bread in convection oven at 350º for 5-10 minutes
  3. Toss together all fruit with sugar
  4. Heat half of fruit mixture on medium high heat for about 5 minutes
  5. Remove from heat and mix in remaining fruit
  6. Let rest 5 minutes
  7. Strain fruit, retaining liquid – Let rest in strainer 10 minutes
  8. Line bread pan with plastic wrap leaving quite a bit of overlap (will be wrapped later)
    You can use any type of container really.  A jello mold looks pretty good too.
    You can use a ring mold, a mixing bowl, etc.  Use whatever you have.
  9. Cut a piece of cardboard out to fit just barely inside the walls of the bread pan.
    The reason for this will become apparent later.
  10. Heat 2 tsp gelatin with 2 TBL water in microwave to boil
  11. Toss in with 1/2 C fruit preserves
  12. Gently fold in berries
  13. Soak bread in berry juice and line bottom of pan
  14. Dump in berry mixture
  15. Soak second bread layer in berry juice
  16. berry-cakeMix any remaining juice with 1/2 C rum, amaretto or grand marnier
  17. Pour equally over top of second layer
  18. Finish wrapping bread and berries with the plastic overlapping the bread pan
  19. Lay one more sheet of plastic wrap flat over the top of the mixture
  20. Place the cardboard (Step 9) over top of the flat plastic sheet
  21. Weight the entire mixture down with three or four cans of soup, tuna, whatever.
  22. Refrigerate for 8-36 hours
  23. When ready to serve, remove the cans, cardboard and flat plastic wrap
  24. Uncover the loaf from the rest of the plastic wrap, pulling down the sides
  25. Invert the loaf onto a serving platter
  26. Remove the pan and remove the remaining plastic
  27. Clean up the plate and cut into nice thick slices
  28. Serve with whipped topping (see below)
    WHIPPED TOPPING
  29. Beat 1 C chilled whipping cream to semi-stiff peaks
  30. Fold in 1 TBL confectioners sugar or 1 TBL honey
  31. Place a dollop of whipped cream on top of the slice

 

Adobo Verde

  1. Roast garlic, jalapeño, serrano, poblano over flame until the skin is blackened
  2. Remove the skin with a paper towel.  DO NOT RINSE.
  3. Add cilantro – stems and all – rough chopped
  4. Add parsley – stems removed – rough chopped
  5. 2 tsp salt
  6. 1 C EVOO
  7. Blend well
  8. Keep refrigerated with thin layer of oil on top to keep

Chaote

  • Cut into chunks
  • Drizzle with EVOO
  • Sprinkle with salt
  • Add some crushed black pepper
  • Roast in oven at 400º for about 35 minutes

Eggplant Salsa

  • Whole Eggplant
  • Whole garlic cloves
  • Halved Tomatoes
  • Halved Red onion
  • Roast in oven at 400º for about 35 minutes
  • Remove skin from tomato – discard skin
  • Add chopped cilantro
  • Peel garlic – discard skin
  • Chop all roasted veggies  into a mixing bowl
  • Add garlic and 2 TBL chipotle chilies into a blender
  • Scrape out meat of eggplant – discard skin
  • Put into blender
  • Mix all together
  • Add salt
  • Add lime juice

Burger Salad

A low-carb option for a burger.
A low-carb option for a burger.

INGREDIENTS

  • 80/20 Ground Chuck or your own home-ground meat – Cooked to your liking
    SALAD FIXIN’S
    Salad Base:
  • Iceburg lettuce
  • Butter lettuce
  • Red sail lettuce
    Salad Toppings – Diner’s choice – Ordered on Top or Served on the side:
  • Onions – fresh or caramelized
  • Grated cheddar cheese or Swiss or Brie
  • Tomato pieces
  • Sliced jalapeños
  • Green chilies
  • Bacon
  • Mushrooms
  • Pickle or cucumber (optional)
    DRESSING – Can be made ahead in large amounts:
  • 3 parts Dijon mustard
  • 2 parts mayonnaise
  • 1 part ketchup
  • 1 part olive oil
  • 1 part red wine vinegar

 

Ginger Broccoli

INGREDIENTS – MIS EN PLACE

  • 3 TBL Safflower oil and 4 cloves of garlic
    – Heat to about 350º and put garlic cloves into it. Let rest 10 minutes
  • 1 Carrot – thinly sliced on the bias
  • Tofu ( for protein ) Firm
  • 1 Red bell pepper – thin slices
  • Ginger – peeled and about 1 inch in size
  • 1 large head Broccoli
  • 1/4 C Oyster sauce
  • 1/4 C chicken broth

STEP BY STEP

  1. When all has been prepped, heat wok to about 500º
  2. Add safflower oil
  3. Add pieces of ginger, and cook for about 60 seconds, then remove
  4. Add carrot and salt – stir to cover
  5. Toss tofu gently in corn starch
  6. Add broccoli
  7. Add tofu (or other protein) – Toss gently from here forward
  8. Add red bell peppers
  9. Add garlic
  10. Add oyster sauce
  11. Add chicken broth

Semifreddo

Ice cream without an ice cream maker.

Translates as “Semi Frozen”

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 C sugar
  • 3 whole eggs
  • Hot water bath
  • 1/2 C whipped cream

STEP BY STEP

  1. Cream together sugar and eggs
  2. Heat over hot water bath in double boiler
  3. It will turn color and increase in size
  4. Whip cold cream until it thickens
  5. Fold together whipped cream and eggs
  6. Crumble in crushed amaretti cookies ( or vanilla wafers )
  7. Pour into plastic lined mold
  8. Tap out air bubbles, then freeze overnight

Amaretti cookies

  • Almond paste, sugar and egg whites

 

Cast Iron Pizza

Get a large ball of pizza dough from your favorite pizza place.  About $5.  Yes Grandpa takes shortcuts some of the time.

  • 3 TBL butter
  • 1/2 C onion
  • Fontina cheese
  • Mozzarella cheese
  • Marinara pizza sauce
  • 2-3 types of mushrooms
  1. Roll pizza dough into COLD cast iron pan.
  2. Make sure dough is kind of up on the side of the cast iron skillet to hold ingredients in.
  3. Idea:  Cut thin logs of mozzarella and roll up into the crust for dipping.
  4. Lay mozzarella cheese as first ingredient
  5. Add onion and mushrooms
  6. Tops with a few spots of marinara (not too much)
  7. Put some tabs of butter and fontina cheese on top
  8. Optional:  Pepperoni or sausage
  9. Bake at 550º for 14-16 minutes.

Hush Puppies

This are approximate guidelines, ingredients and quantities.  I need to debug this later.

Cornmeal
AP Flour
Sugar
Salt
Garlic
Baking Powder

Buttermilk
Egg
Scallions

Lump Crab Meat

Fry in oil at 360º for about 2 minutes per side

Dipping Sauce
– Cilantro
– Jalapeño
– Salt
– Pepper
– Garlic powder
– Mayo

Simple but Elegant Desert Cup

Use a wine glass, sherbert glass or some other tall clear glass.

  1. Put blueberries in the bottom of the glass
  2. Cover with a bit of pudding
  3. Add a couple of table spoons of granola
  4. Add a different color/flavor pudding or yogurt
  5. Add a different type/color of fruit
  6. Add some crushed graham crackers
  7. Top with whipped topping
  8. Serve with a chunk of of chocolate

Breakfast or Lunch for a Dozen

Breakfast

Bacon on crinkled foil

  1. Preheat the oven to 400º
  2. Crinkle up a  sheet of aluminum foil and put onto a baking sheet
  3. Put bacon onto the foil
  4. Bake 12-18 minutes or until it turns crisp

Scrambled Eggs

  1. Break two eggs per person into a large mixing bowl
  2. Scramble until bubbly and yellow
  3. Scramble about 1 C at a time in a hot skillet
  4. Put into a serving bowl and repeat until all scrambled

Drop Biscuits

  1. Measure 1/2 Cup of Bisquick mix per person
  2. Mix Bisquick according to the directions on the box
  3. The dough should not be runny, but should be stiff
  4. Break off pieces in 1/4 Cup chunks
  5. Put onto a baking sheet
  6. Put baking sheet into the oven with the bacon
  7. Take out when biscuits start to brown
  8. Serve with butter

Lunch

Hamburgers

  1. Use about 1/2 pound of raw hamburger per person
  2. Preheat oven to 350º
  3. Roll into a ball, the squish flat
  4. Put into oven and bake 18 minutes
  5. Flip and add cheese, then bake 4 more minutes

Chicken and Pasta

chickenINGREDIENTS

  • Chicken breast
  • Bacon – cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • Wide pasta – pappardelle
  • 1/4 C dry white wine
  • 1 TBL butter – cold
  • Several basil leaves
  • Parmesan cheese to garnish
  • Select THREE of the following ingredients
    • Kalamata olives
    • Artichoke hearts
    • Bell peppers
    • Onions
    • Sausage
    • Sun dried tomatoes
    • Fresh spinach

STEP BY STEP

  1. Bring large pot of heavily salted water to a boil
    (about 1 gallon of water and 1 TBL of salt)
  2. Render pork belly till crispy
    – Set aside
  3. Cut chicken breast lengthwise
  4. Pallard the meat (squish it flat so it cooks quickly and evenly)
    – Put between two sheets of plastic
    – Pound till about 1/2 inch thick – using mallet, tuna can, or cast iron skillet
  5. Prepare three bowls:
    (1) flour, salt, paprika, pepper to taste or Grandpa's Thunder Powder or Arghhh Powder
    (2) 1 beaten egg and 1 TBL milk
  6. Dredge flattened chicken breast in the in egg, then in the flour
  7. Put pasta into boiling water
  8. Put chicken into hot pan with 1 TBL canola oil
  9. Cook chicken until heavily seared
    – Set aside
  10. Deglaze chicken pan with white wine
    (pour in wine and stir to remove the bits from the bottom of the pan)
  11. Add your three “personal” ingredients
  12. Add back in cooked bacon
  13. Finish with 1 TBL cold butter
  14. Add back in chicken and nestle into the gravy to reheat
  15. Toss pasta with 1 TBL EVOO and plate
  16. Cut chicken into strips against the grain
  17. Top pasta with cooked chicken
  18. Top chicken with your special mixture
  19. Garnish with basil leaves
  20. Shave Parmesan cheese on top

Cantaloupe Soup

cant-soupINGREDIENTS

  • 1 Cantaloupe – Peeled, deseeded and cubed
  • 1 C Philly Cream Cheese
  • 1/2 ± passion fruit puree
  • Small piece of peeled ginger
  • 1 dash Tabasco
  • A few mint leaves
  • OPTIONAL:  Thinly sliced Prosciutto
  • OPTIONAL:  A dollop of sour cream

STEP BY STEP

  1. Blend first five ingredients
  2. OPTIONAL:  Run through a sieve or food mill if you want a very smooth soup
  3. Chill at least 2 hours – overnight is better
  4. Put into bowl and top with sour cream, prosciutto and/or mint

Lobster Roll Sandwich

lobster-rollINGREDIENTS

  • 2 TBL Mayo or Miracle Whip
  • 1 tsp Brandy
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire
  • 1/2 tsp Prepared Horseradish
  • Scant Cayenne
  • juice from 1/2 lemon
  • 1 dash Tabasco
  • Rough chopped shrimp, lobster, crab or Krab
  • Italian sub roll
  • OPTIONAL:  Chives
  • OPTIONAL:  Butter lettuce
  • OPTIONAL:  Tomato slices

STEP BY STEP

  1. Mix first seven ingredients – whisk well
  2. Rough chop whichever meat you want to use
  3. Gently fold everything together
  4. Cut a narrow V out of the top of your Italian roll
  5. Pull out much of the internal bread, leaving more room for the filling
  6. Fill the bread with the meat mixture
  7. Sprinkle with chives

NOTE:  The mixture above is a version of Marie Rose Sauce.

Guacamole Deviled Eggs

Recipe mostly by TipHero, with a twist or two from Grandpa.

INGREDIENTS

  • Six eggs – About a week old
  • 1 VERY ripe avocado
  • Juice and zest from one lime
  • One deseeded jalapeño – minced
    TipHero prefers to use a serrano pepper
  • 1/2 tp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 2 TBL chopped Cilantro
  • Dried chives ( not mixed in, rather sprinkled over top )

STEP BY STEP

  1. Rather than boiling your eggs to hard boil them, TipHero bakes them at 350º for 25 minutes.
    It is absolutely critical to start with a preheated oven.
  2. In a large bowl, take 4 C ice cubes and put into 8 C water
  3. Take your eggs directly from the oven and put into the ice water USING A SPOON.
    Touching the eggs will raise a blister.
  4. Let set in water until the ice melts
  5. Peel the eggs, using the water to wash away pieces, and lubricate the egg as you peel.
    You can also peel under running water, but this wastes water.
  6. Cut egg in half using a piece of dental floss – yes… dental floss.
  7. Remove yolks and place in a mixing bowl.
    Place the whites on your serving plate.
  8. Halve your avocado, and scoop the meat out using a spoon.
    TipHero uses the entire avocado.  I prefer using only half.
  9. Add lime, jalapeño, salt, black pepper and cilantro.
  10. Put into a zip lock bag, and cut the tip off a corner
  11. Place your avocado mixture into the bag
  12. Pipe ( squeeze ) the mixture into your egg white
  13. Sprinkle your chives over top of the eggs, letting some spill onto the serving platter.

 

Raw Spaghetti Sauce

saladThis can be used for Spaghetti, Farfalle, Bucatini, Pappardelle… pretty much any pasta.

INGREDIENTS

  • PASTA of your choice
  • 4 C fresh tomatoes (deseeded)
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 6-8 basil leaves
  • Optional: 1 packet crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 C EVOO
  • Optional: 1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
  • Optional: 1 C cubed fresh Mozzarella

STEP BY STEP

  1. Rinse tomatoes, dry and cut out the cores and seeds.
  2. Catch all of the juices.  We will use that later.
  3. Cut the tomato meat into approximately one inch pieces
    ( cherry tomatoes, just cut in half )
  4. Smash the garlic cloves with the side of your knife and remove the skins
  5. Mix with a bit of salt, and mash into a fine paste
  6. Toss the paste in with your tomato pieces
  7. Add your basil ( chiffonade strips ) cut into thin strips
  8. Sprinkle in your red pepper
  9. Drizzle in your oil
  10. Add your cheese if you choose to use it
  11. Gently toss to combine ingredients
  12. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate for about two hours
  13. Toss with your cooked pasta and serve.

Simple Crostini

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE
CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

INGREDIENTS

  • Baguette, bagel, or French bread
  • Cloves of garlic
  • EVOO
  • Very ripe tomato

See optional ingredients below.

STEP BY STEP

  1. Cut your bread into 1/4 – 1/2 inch slices on the bias (at an angle)
  2. Toast for 4 minutes in a toaster oven
  3. Rub with Garlic
  4. Rub with Tomato
  5. Drizzle with EVOO

OTHER TOPPINGS

The toppings are virtually unlimited.  Don’t be afraid to use your imagination.  Here is some guidance.

  • Put a thin slice of aged ham on top
  • Sun-dried tomato with a piece of cheese and a basil leaf
  • Oiled and cooked red pepper
  • Cream cheese and salmon
  • Salmon roe
  • Black olives
  • Radishes
  • Pickled onion
  • Avocado puree
  • Hard-boiled egg medallion with a dollop of mustard
  • Blueberries and raspberries
  • Olive Tapenade:  black, green, Kalamata, anchovy, salt, lime, capers, basil, garlic, and sundried tomato

Guajillo Chili Wings

chili-wingsINGREDIENTS

  • Hot corn oil in heavy sauce pan
  • Ten thawed chicken wings
  • Hot corn oil in saute pan
  • 6 dried guajillo chili peppers
  • 10 cloves garlic
  • 4 tsp butter
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp salt
  • zest and juice from one lime
  • white wine to deglaze – about 1/4 C

STEP BY STEP

  1. Soak dried chilies in boiling hot water for about 10 minutes
  2. Heat oil in sauce pan to about 365 – 375º
  3. Put wings into hot oil – Start the clock… You will be cooking the wings about 10-12 minutes
  4. Mince guajillo chili and put into saute pan (with a little bit of oil)
  5. Add butter and garlic to saute pan – stir to incorporate
  6. Add salt, pepper, oregano
  7. Add white wine to deglaze, and stir to reduce
  8. Add hot wings and toss to cover
  9. Plate hot wings, and cover with remaining sauce

This recipe is based on one by Jeff Smedstad, executive chef from the Elote Cafe here in Sedona, Arizona.

Tamale Taco

INGREDIENTS

  • Corn tortillas
  • Hot canola or corn oil
  • Shredded “Mexican Blend” Cheese
  • Arbol chilies

Optional toppings:  shredded chicken, shredded pork, lettuce, tomatoes, jalapeños, cilantro, etc.

STEP BY STEP

  1. Heat a small amount of oil in a pan
  2. Heat tortillas till they soften and barely start to brown
  3. Remove from heat and sprinkle with cheese
  4. Put on some chilies or other optional toppings
  5. Enjoy
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